And the Canada Square section from the Don Mills post. Just for the record I'm counting the youngsters as Stormin's although he was displaced by Malik. He was positively ID'd at the time the eggs were being laid.

!!! Another day to remember. Some sad news and some good news!June 22, 2014 - Toronto - Don MillsMark Nash Reports:

June 22rnd - 2014Just when you though it was safe to come out of the house!! Well, during the fledge watch times, its usually not!

My day started teamed up Marion down at the Canada Square fledge watch to fill in for Lyn while she attended to other commitments. Remembering that both Marion and Lyn have been typically doing the entire Canada Square fledge watch by themselves over the years, spending 12 to 16 hours a day in the streets, 7 days a week all by themselves for the most parts. There was no way that Marion could deal with this situation by herself this morning with two of the three young hatchlings revved up and ready to go.

We set up at the usual place on Duplex street just south of Eglinton down the street form the Metro police station where Marion and Lyn usually man the fledge watch. Finding parking is always a challenge (and very costly) and its always both a very frustrating time consuming stressful experience.

Oh god, I don’t how Marion and Lyn have been dealing with this fledge watch alone all of these years, as it became very evident as to how lucky I have been on fledge watches in suburbia!!! I have to admit, the stress was almost overwhelming, with the traffic, smog, volume of people, and the noise!!! The diesel fumes and exhausts coming out of the busses constantly coming and going from the bus terminal across the street was terrible!

The stress was all compounded by the fact that when we arrived, one young hatchling has already fledged - (and already missing), and the second chick took its first flight only minutes after we got set up!!

By the time Lyn arrived, I must admit, my nerves were fried, I was soaked with perspiration after doing 3 - 2 kms - 10 block radius walk-arounds while trying to avoid all of the traffic and volume of people while searching for one of the missing fledglings.

This was again further compounded as I was absolutely horrified to see their resident adult female hunting pigeons a waist level in the centre of all this congestion right in the middle of Yonge Street as she weaved in and out of traffic chasing pigeons. On two occasions, I thought she was going to fly right into pedestrians walking on the side walks as she chased three groups of pigeons!!!

Marion and I worked hard this morning trying to figure out where our missing bird might be. We racked our brains and pounded pavements and came up wanting ! Now this is where 17 years of Marion`s experience comes into play!

We had noted that both Haven and Malik were in the area and never flying far from Canada Square unless on a hunt. Marion said that Haven was not too far away and that meant she knew where the *missing* peregrine was and she was not concerned OR she did not know and was just waiting for him to show up after his adventure! So we decided to cool our jets a while and wait.Haven and Malik had done a number of *fly-overs and fly-bys*`and we had two youngsters in view; one fledgling and Chinook still on the ledge. The fledgling on the southwest corner of Canada Square was either tucking into what was left of his last meal or he had been fed .

At 2:22pm we had a fledgling fly from the roof of Canada Square to the north west corner of Rio-Can and then back across the top of Canada Square and way up to the top of the short condo across Yonge street. An epic flight! We had the thought that this youngster was Linden because he maintained his height and climbed and made such a long flight!! We had three young peregrines again!

Marion noticed a window washer preparing to wash the windows on that southern condo. Haven also noticed the activity and went and sat on the railing on the second condo down extreme right. When the window washers launched himself over the edge in a bosun`s chair Haven flew to the railing around the antenna on 2180 Yonge. She watched the progress of the window washer as he made his way DOWN.

Late in the afternoon Linden flew to the roof of Canada Square and a while later he appeared on the same corner as his brother and Marion also managed to get colour from the band on the one who had stayed on that ledge – red for Equinox. This confirmed that our little flyer was indeed Linden.One of the youngsters on the south west corner disappeared and we found a youngster down on the balcony wall! We were not able to see Chinook on the *porch* but could not at that point work out who it was on the balcony. Pieces fell into place when we saw TWO youngsters on the south west corner *porch* level AND one youngster at the north west balcony corner. Once again Marion`s experience and knowledge came to the for and it was explained to me that Chinook must have made a *mini* fledge by flying of his *porch* and immediately hooking back whence he had come but a floor lower and ended up on the balcony wall. He afforded us much entertainment with his running along the wall and jumping to the floor and then appearing back on the wall elsewhere. He appeared to be having such fun. Out of the *playpen* into the big wide world of a huge balcony and obstacle course.

Equinox flew over to the top of 2180, north west corner, making a perfect *J-up* landing. *J-up* is how an adult lands on a ledge. They dip down below the ledge and then fly up and land and the action looks just like the letter *J*. Haven flew over and sat on the railing below him. Then we noticed two heads over there. Haven took food in to one of them. Then the rain came and Haven tried to get those two to fly back to Canada Square but they had other ideas and sat it out. When the rain stopped they flew back to Canada Square at different times. Chinook continued to entertain himself, and us, throughout all the rain. Just before we left there was one more epic flight and again we assume it was Linden. He came off the roof of Canada Square, flew to Rio-Can, bumped a window and fluttered a floor or two before recovering and flying around the corner to the top of the apartment building. We left him there.

This news belongs here and at Central Terminal Buffalo, but posting here to refresh it.

As we have heard, Stormin' is now on site at the 18 King St. scrape with Erin. Time will tell if Erin is up for another season...

Meanwhile, Stormin' & Haven's son Simcoe (2012) was last seen nesting at the Oshawa Hospital with Alfrieda, daughter of Diamante & Glieg (2012) with one offspring, Salveo. Presuming the pair has not changed this year...

March 26th - 2015A quickly update on the Oshawa Lake Ridge Hospital peregrines. I was able to spend several hours today out in Oshawa after delivering the new nest box that the CPF has build for them to provide a more suitable nesting habitat for their resident peregrines. I was delighted to catch both peregrines in view, and managed to snap a few photos of the “love-birds” while they were involved in some intimate mating activity. Wow, that doesn’t sound good! Just lucky to be there and have the camera in hand when the “love-birds” were involved with one another. That sounds a little better.

It would appear that the pair have decided to utilize a lower roof top elevation to lay their eggs at, in comparison to the higher roof top elevation that they used last season.

Actually, this lower elevation appears to be a better choice, given that it also has protection from both sides as well as a back wall to protect them from any driving winds and rain. While I don’t see this elevation any more challenging to install the nest box on, it remains to be seen when the time comes.

While we have no confirmation of any eggs having been laid as yet, given the both birds were visible at the same time for over an hour, and copulation was observed, it is not likely given these events (and in consideration of the cold temps) that they have not laid any eggs as yet,,,,,, (and obviously not involved in any sort of incubation),,, BUT copulation is happening, and egg(s) are very soon to follow!!!

I have attached some photos, (not very good ones) as it was still spitting rain, somewhat misty and still quite breezy and cold! So there lies my excuse (reason) for such crappy photos! Hmmm, maybe I Just can’t admit to being a crappy photographer.

That looks like a very well-built nestbox, but my concerns arise as to if they will take out the kids for banding from the back or if that roof tips up and goes over the front. RRP has started with a couple that roof tips up and down over the front so they can lift the kids out without them going down accidentally at a site where it is bad to reach in from the front. If the back opens to get them out, they could go right out the front and not be able to fly.

It is good to see a solid floor between the box front and perch after incidents I've seen where a kid has fallen in between and couldn't "hang on" and fallen.